PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The Secretary can work with federal, state, regional, and local groups to study whether water reclamation and reuse projects are workable. The federal government will pay up to 50 percent of a study’s cost. The Secretary can raise that share if the non-federal partner shows real financial hardship and cannot pay at least 50 percent. The Secretary may count useful in-kind services from the non-federal partner toward that partner’s share. If the studied project is built, the federal part of the study cost counts as a project cost and can be reimbursed under the Federal reclamation laws. Studies must look at near- and long-term water demand and supply, all possible uses for reclaimed water, at least two alternative technologies or methods for reclaiming, distributing, and reusing water, public health and environmental effects, whether the measures would reduce or delay new water supplies or cut use of rivers, aquifers, or federal water facilities, the market or dedicated use for the reclaimed water, and whether the non-federal sponsor can pay its share of construction costs each year.

Title 43, §390h–2

Public Lands, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary is authorized to participate with appropriate Federal, State, regional, and local authorities in studies to determine the feasibility of water reclamation and reuse projects recommended for such study pursuant to section 390h–1 of this title. The Federal share of the costs of such feasibility studies shall not exceed 50 per centum of the total, except that the Secretary may increase the Federal share of the costs of such feasibility study if the Secretary determines, based upon a demonstration of financial hardship on the part of the non-Federal participant, that the non-Federal participant is unable to contribute at least 50 per centum of the costs of such study. The Secretary may accept as part of the non-Federal cost share the contribution of such in-kind services by the non-Federal participant that the Secretary determines will contribute substantially toward the conduct and completion of the study.

(b)The Federal share of feasibility studies, including those described in section 390h–4 and 390h–6 through 390h–8 of this title, shall be considered as project costs and shall be reimbursed in accordance with the Federal reclamation laws, if the project studied is implemented.

(c)In addition to the requirements of other Federal laws, feasibility studies conducted by the Secretary or the non-Federal project sponsor under sections 390h to 390h–39 of this title shall consider, among other things—

(1)near- and long-term water demand and supplies in the study area;

(2)all potential uses for reclaimed water;

(3)at least two alternative measures or technologies available for water reclamation, distribution, and reuse for the project under consideration;

(4)public health and environmental quality issues associated with use of reclaimed water;

(5)whether development of the water reclamation and reuse measures under study would—

(A)reduce, postpone, or eliminate development of new or expanded water supplies,

(B)reduce or eliminate the use of existing diversions from natural watercourses or withdrawals from aquifers, or

(C)reduce the demand on existing Federal water supply facilities;

(6)the market or dedicated use for reclaimed water in the project’s service area; and

(7)the financial capability of the non-Federal project sponsor to fund its proportionate share of the project’s construction costs on an annual basis.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Federal reclamation laws, referred to in subsec. (b), are defined in section 390h(a) of this title.

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–266, § 4(1), substituted “conducted by the Secretary or the non-Federal project sponsor” for “authorized” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 104–266, § 4(2), substituted “at least two alternative measures or technologies available for water reclamation, distribution, and reuse for the project under consideration” for “measures and technologies available for water reclamation, distribution, and reuse”. Subsec. (c)(5)(C). Pub. L. 104–266, § 4(4), added subpar. (C). Subsec. (c)(6), (7). Pub. L. 104–266, § 4(3), (5), added pars. (6) and (7).

§390h–2 Feasibility Studies